POLICY WIRE FACT CHECK: Old video recirculated as recent protest against Tinubu government
The Claim A viral social media post circulated widely across platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and WhatsApp, claiming to show footage of a recent protest against Nigerian President Bola Tinubu....
The Claim
A viral social media post circulated widely across platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and WhatsApp, claiming to show footage of a recent protest against Nigerian President Bola Tinubu. The video, which appeared to depict crowds gathered in Lagos, was shared with captions suggesting it was a new demonstration demanding the president’s resignation or policy changes.
The clip was attributed to a local news outlet and posted under the hashtag #TinubuProtest. It included audio of speakers, loud chants, and visuals of demonstrators holding signs with slogans like End Corruption and Tinubu Out. The video’s apparent authenticity and emotional tone led many users to believe it was a real-time event, sparking widespread concern and discussion about growing public discontent with the administration.
The Details & Investigation
Upon investigation, it was determined that the video in question was not from a recent protest but rather a compilation of footage from multiple past demonstrations. FactCheckHub, the original source of the viral claim, traced the video back to a 2020 protest against then-President Muhammadu Buhari, specifically referencing the #EndSARS movement, which was a nationwide outcry against police brutality and corruption.
Multiple independent fact-checking organizations, including the African Fact-Checking Alliance (AFCA) and the Nigerian Fact-Checking Network (NFCN), confirmed that the video had been circulating on social media since 2020. Further analysis of the visual elements—such as the style of protest signs, the language used, and the presence of specific individuals—matched known footage from that period. Additionally, metadata from the video revealed timestamps inconsistent with any recent events.
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The claim likely originated from a combination of misattribution and lack of contextual awareness. While the content itself was not fabricated, its presentation as a new protest was misleading. There is no evidence of coordinated disinformation efforts or AI-generated content. However, the re-circulation of the video without proper context qualifies as misinformation, as it misled audiences into believing it was a current event.
Official statements from the Nigerian government and local media outlets did not reference any recent protests matching the video’s content. Furthermore, there were no credible reports of large-scale demonstrations in Lagos during the time the video was being shared online. This absence of corroborating information further supports the conclusion that the video was not recent.
The Verdict
The viral claim that an old video was presented as a recent protest against President Bola Tinubu is classified as MISLEADING. While the video itself is authentic and reflects historical protest activity, its re-circulation without proper context led to widespread confusion and false assumptions about the current political climate in Nigeria.
This case highlights the risks of viral content lacking clear provenance or context. The original video was not created with the intent to deceive, but its reuse without acknowledgment of its age constitutes unintentional misinformation. There is no evidence of deliberate disinformation campaigns or AI-generated manipulation. The primary issue lies in the lack of transparency and due diligence in verifying the timeline of the content before sharing it widely.
Counter-misinformation & disinformation investigation conducted by PolicyWire Editorial Desk (PW).
